Posted May 13, 200817 yr Next year looks to be banner year for major league baseball and baseball stadium architecture in New York City. Both the Yankees and the Mets are set to open new ballparks for the 2009 season. NEW YANKEE STADIUM Construction cost: $1.3 billion Architect: HOK Sport Capacity 52,325 Field dimensions Left Field - 318 ft Left-Center - 399 ft Center Field - 408 ft Right-Center - 385 ft Right Field - 314 ft Rendering of the New Yankee Stadium Rendering of New Yankee Stadium from the street Rendering of the New Yankee Stadium interior New Yankee Stadium under construction, March 22, 2008 Gate 4 of the new Yankee Stadium, March 9, 2008 NEW METS STADIUM (CITI FIELD) Construction cost: $610 million Architect: HOK Sport Capacity: 45,000 Field dimensions Left Field - 335 ft Left Center - 379 ft Center Field - 408 ft Right Center - 383 ft Right Field - 330 ft Rendering of Citi Field, Jackie Robinson Rotunda Rendering of Citi Field Rendering of Citi Field Rendering of Citi Field interior Relation of Citi Field, right, to Shea Stadium, left Arched brick facade partially installed, 11/9/07 Facade partially installed around Jackie Robinson Rotunda, 2/19/08 Information, photos and renderings from www.ballparks.com and wikipedia pages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yankee_Stadium and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citi_Field.
May 13, 200817 yr Great idea for a thread! I've seen both of these in person last week, I personally think Citi Field will be a better ballpark.
May 13, 200817 yr I do, too. I think Yankees Stadium is such a waste of money, from a design point of view. The stadium literally looks exactly like the old one, only newer. Couldn't they just renovate the existing structure?
May 13, 200817 yr I do, too. I think Yankees Stadium is such a waste of money, from a design point of view. The stadium literally looks exactly like the old one, only newer. Couldn't they just renovate the existing structure? Did you read why the stadium was built? I guess not since you're asking here.
May 13, 200817 yr I understand why they built a new one. I'm just saying, if they're going to build a new stadium, why not at least make it look different from the current structure? What's the point of a new stadium if it looks exactly the same?
May 13, 200817 yr They tried that with White Sox stadium (new Comiskey) and they failed miserably. The Yankees are all about history. They will make it a nice stadium. Architects have learned from past ballpark mistakes.
May 13, 200817 yr I guess I'm just not one for nostalgia. :) Probably true, though. Fans would probably be up in arms.
May 13, 200817 yr I understand why they built a new one. I'm just saying, if they're going to build a new stadium, why not at least make it look different from the current structure? What's the point of a new stadium if it looks exactly the same? You're asking the wrong people. George Steinbrenner, George Pataki and Bloomberg are the people to ask.
May 13, 200817 yr Regardless, it'll be fun to check out a game in either one. I hate Yankee stadium. I'll probably get to go on a tour of the new one soon, but I still will only sit in the box as the yankee fans are the worst. Maybe it's my indians jersey that pisses them off? :?
May 13, 200817 yr Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots.
May 13, 200817 yr I agree that both are nice-looking parks, and the romanesque arch motif is an elegant touch. However, isn't it a bit much for two ballparks--employing the same, highly-memorable motif--to open up in the same city in the same year? Maybe one team or the other would've been better off choosing a design from a different firm? :|
May 13, 200817 yr ^Amen- a total dump. Sort of fits the troglodyte fans though. Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. And the one area adjacent to Citi field that isn't surface lot (to the east) is now the object of an appalling city-sponsored land grab.
May 14, 200817 yr Im not sure how to post pictures in here, but Red Bull Park, home of Red Bull New York of MLS is scheduled to open in 2009 in Harrison, New Jersey. www.redbullpark.com
May 14, 200817 yr Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. Uhhh because it's in the middle of a sports complex?
May 14, 200817 yr I definately like the Mets park better. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 14, 200817 yr Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. Uhhh because it's in the middle of a sports complex? Well, other cities are figuring out how to integrate stadiums, especially MLB, into their Downtowns and neighborhoods. I would have expected NY to be a leader in this, not behind the times..
May 14, 200817 yr That's a pretty short park for Yankee stadium in left and right at least. Not as short as the Polo Grounds, but still short.
May 14, 200817 yr That's a pretty short park for Yankee stadium in left and right at least. Not as short as the Polo Grounds, but still short. That's why I think Citi will be nicer, Yankee Stadium is bound by so many stupid traditions, like horrible field dimensions.
May 14, 200817 yr That's a pretty short park for Yankee stadium in left and right at least. Not as short as the Polo Grounds, but still short. That's why I think Citi will be nicer, Yankee Stadium is bound by so many stupid traditions, like horrible field dimensions. Exactly. With those dimensions, they shold have at least done a highwall out in Left, but that probably would have been to similar to a Boston type strategic design.
May 17, 200817 yr The contractor I work for, Sports Contruction Group (based in Cleveland), is doing the turf installation at the new Yankee Stadium and potentially the new Mets (Citifield) stadium. F*ck NY but bring on the business!
May 17, 200817 yr Im not sure how to post pictures in here, but Red Bull Park, home of Red Bull New York of MLS is scheduled to open in 2009 in Harrison, New Jersey. www.redbullpark.com That will be a great soccer venue...right up there with the best (in this nation).
May 17, 200817 yr Let me just say once and for all that corporate naming rights are an assault on all that is decent in this universe. More or less.
May 17, 200817 yr So there's no chance we'll be seeing a Grippo'sValueCityUrbanOhio.com anytime soon?
May 17, 200817 yr Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. Uhhh because it's in the middle of a sports complex? Well, other cities are figuring out how to integrate stadiums, especially MLB, into their Downtowns and neighborhoods. I would have expected NY to be a leader in this, not behind the times.. I think that's actually a pretty tricky issue. Stadiums bring lots of traffic, noise and crowds of drunk yutzes who don't give a crap about the immediate vicinity-I'm happy Citi won't be clogging the streets and subways of Manhattan, and if I lived in an outer borough, I wouldn't want it built in my neighborhood either. The current location works well because even though not central, it's still served well by highway, subway, commuter train, bus and even boat which is why Robert Moses decided a stadium would be built there (though he thought it would be for the Dodgers).
May 17, 200817 yr ^Amen- a total dump. Sort of fits the troglodyte fans though. Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. And the one area adjacent to Citi field that isn't surface lot (to the east) is now the object of an appalling city-sponsored land grab. Sports stadiums and appalling land grabs go together like peanuts and Cracker Jack.
May 19, 200817 yr Great idea for a thread! I've seen both of these in person last week, I personally think Citi Field will be a better ballpark. Thanks. Nice to see the enthusiastic responses. Guess the Mets and Yanks bring that out of most people. As far as the architecture of the two ballparks goes, here's my take... I think Yankees Stadium is such a waste of money, from a design point of view. The stadium literally looks exactly like the old one, only newer. Couldn't they just renovate the existing structure? I thought the same exact thing when I first heard of the New Yankee Stadium idea. And for personal preference, I do like the neo-Ebbets Field look of the Mets ballpark. However, I'll step up to defend the New Yankee Stadium concept from this standpoint. The Yanks were faced with a tough call. Their fans wanted to keep the look and feeling of Old Yankee Stadium. But the place needed some serious upgrading. Taking a step-by-step renovation approach makes alot of sense at other vintage parks, like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park. Tearing down Wrigley or Fenway to build new would mean virtually tearing down the surrounding neighborhood as well. However, there's no real neighborhood context around Yankee Stadium. Plus the Yanks have tons of money to spend. A New Yankee Stadium concept makes more sense here. Plus, there's some subtle upgrades from the old stadium - even though it looks identical. I saw in a ESPN news story that the new stadium will be 65% larger than the old stadium to house all the additional features (luxury boxes, great hall, museum etc). Also, I like the detailing on the new stone exterior. It's a more monumental look for a new ballpark design. The interior returns to the pre-1970's renovation look of the old Yankee Stadium and also features a monumental feel. Not all the new ballparks need to follow the same pattern. I really like the new Mets ballpark but I like the New Yankee Stadium too.
May 21, 200817 yr ^Moment of silence for the old Tiger Stadium, the neighborhood bars, and the neighbors who derived income and multi-generational friendships from the fans they'd let park on their lawns. Sigh...
May 21, 200817 yr ^Amen- a total dump. Sort of fits the troglodyte fans though. Citi field looks great, in a neo-traditional sort of way. Too bad it is entirely surrounded by surface lots. And the one area adjacent to Citi field that isn't surface lot (to the east) is now the object of an appalling city-sponsored land grab. Sports stadiums and appalling land grabs go together like peanuts and Cracker Jack. strap i am planning on getting over there with my camera one day for historic documentation purposes before evry auto shop gets the boot. speaking of land grabs, believe me no one in the bx is very happy with the new yankee stadium taking over some well used city parks. people (meaning residents of the bronx not yankee fans in general) talk about nothing but the loss of the park space. the current old yankee stadium may be an ugly-azz dump, but at least its still basically functional and it works. shea otoh is an outright dangerous place to see a game. i think a mets fan already fell to his death this year. horribly designed. for the record both new stadiums are total bores as far as new stadiums go. the new yankee isn't in any way new, that seems rather phony to me. the new met citi is a dull throwback ebbets field by way of a lifestyle mall. ho hum. bah! see yous at the cyclones games. :-P :laugh:
May 21, 200817 yr ^ The current Yankee Stadium will be torn down after the new one opens and turned into a park. So it's just a temporary loss of a park.
May 23, 200817 yr the current old yankee stadium may be an ugly-azz dump, but at least its still basically functional and it works. shea otoh is an outright dangerous place to see a game. i think a mets fan already fell to his death this year. horribly designed. A fan fell to their death yesterday at Turner Field. The only thing dangerous about baseball stadiums is getting black out drunk during the game.
May 23, 200817 yr ^ not so, shea is not just dangerous for drunks. ridiculous flyover stairways aside, its even much more potentially dangerous because the fans can't move around underneath the stands very well, in fact it's so small and narrow underneath there traffic is often single file in many spots. so if there ever was a problem or incident or whatever it would be complete disaster. i dont blame them in a sense, historically shea was the earliest modern "cookie-cutter" stadium, so they didn't really know what they were doing yet as far as crowd control, but its badly outdated.
May 23, 200817 yr ^ not so, shea is not just dangerous for drunks. ridiculous flyover stairways aside, its even much more potentially dangerous because the fans can't move around underneath the stands very well, in fact it's so small and narrow underneath there traffic is often single file in many spots. so if there ever was a problem or incident or whatever it would be complete disaster. i dont blame them in a sense, historically shea was the earliest modern "cookie-cutter" stadium, so they didn't really know what they were doing yet as far as crowd control, but its badly outdated. I agree its badly outdated, but I don't recall the small and narrow feeling you describe, although I was only there once for a game and it wasn't sold out.
May 27, 200817 yr some gothamist blog chit chat about the new yankee stadium & the loss-of-park controvery today: May 26, 2008 Community Waits for Parks Around Yankee Stadium Photograph of old Yankee Stadium and new Yankee Stadium (taken in June 2007) by Urch on Flickr While many people are excited about the opening of the new Yankee Stadium, many residents who live near the stadium have been unhappy about the delays in replacing the park land used for the new venue. According to the NY Times, costs to reate eight smaller parks have escalated to almost twice the $95 million budget to $174 million--and construction of many have not yet started. A total of 20.8 acres of parkland was taken from the area--continuous green space from Macombs Dam and Mullaly Parks--for the new stadium; in return, the community gets eight smaller parks, which residents thought was a bum deal, because it spread the facilities further away and cut down 400 mature trees. While the Parks Department did create a "temporary replacement park on a parking lot in the area," a resident sniffed, "We’ve lost our biggest park, and what we’ve been reduced to is this parking lot." Photograph of Yankee Stadium and the park where the new Yankee Stadium stands (taken in June 2006) by Atomische.com on Flickr The cost increases and delays are a result of higher than projected construction costs as well as surprises, like oil barrels under one of the planned park sites, and officials consider the project "on schedule." However, New Yorkers For Parks executive director Christian diPalermo said, "The Yankees couldn’t miss a season, but it was O.K. for the community to miss five years of parkland and be shut out of a community benefits agreement.” http://gothamist.com/2008/05/26/community_conti_1.php
May 28, 200817 yr Great post mrnyc. I was looking for an aerial photo of the existing Yankee Stadium and the New Yankee Stadium being built next to it. Very nice.
June 25, 200816 yr Wonderful photo set of the old Shea, the new Shea (Citifield) and the surrounding gritty Iron Triangle neighborhood at http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16528.0.html. Much thanks to mrnyc.
July 9, 200816 yr hey the mets citifield is getting some mighty tasty chow with a shakeshack. and also a new concept....tacos! :laugh: ok so the food ball is now in your court yankee stadium! EaterWire Midday Edition: New Mets Stadium/Danny Meyer Details Unleashed Wednesday, July 9, 2008, by Amanda 2008_07_citi.jpgFLUSHING— While we've all known for awhile that Danny Meyer had a deal cooking with the new Mets stadium, Citi Field, the Union Square Hospitality Group just released the most detailed line up of the offerings to date. In addition to the rumored Shake Shack and Blue Smoke the new stadium will also have a yet-to-be-named taqueria featuring "authentic" tacos and Pop Fries, USHG's new fry stand concept (think the East Village's Pomme Frites). The powers that be are also announcing the dining options in the "Sterling Club" (a wine bar, a dining room, a casual cafe) but they sound far less exciting than the Danny Meyer concourse fare. The question now is, which Shake Shack, the Citi Field or the Madison Sq. Park original will have longer lines? The full press release ahead: FLUSHING, N.Y., July 9, 2008 – The New York Mets and ARAMARK – a world-class leader in professional services and the Mets’ food and beverage provider – today announced an unprecedented partnership with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) to transport its culinary talent and expertise to Citi Field, the new Mets home opening in 2009. Through this collaboration with one of the world’s most renowned restaurant groups, Citi Field will set a new industry standard for the guest dining experience in sports and entertainment venues. Among the dining choices USHG will offer at Citi Field are the enormously popular Blue Smoke and Shake Shack, as well as two new food concepts – a taquería and a Belgian frites stand. In addition, USHG will provide all food and beverage services at Citi Field's Sterling Club, the premium seating area for 1,600 guests on the Field Level directly behind home plate. Through this collection of innovative dining options, USHG will showcase its award-winning cuisine with unparalleled hospitality at Mets games, non-game day events, and other functions throughout the year at Citi Field. Citi Field's outfield concourse, accessible to all ticket holders, will feature: * Blue Smoke: the pioneer of urban ’cue, Blue Smoke will offer mouthwatering real pit barbecue (Highlights: Pulled Pork Sandwich and Kansas City Ribs) * Shake Shack: the enormously popular hamburger and hot dog stand that made a splash with its original location in Madison Square Park will griddle up game day favorites (Highlights: ShackBurger and Shack-Cago Dog) * Taquería (name TBD): this new concept will feature authentic tacos * Pop Fries: another new concept for USHG, this frites stand will serve freshly-cut, Belgian-style fries with a variety of dipping sauces The Sterling Club will feature several different dining options, including: *Sterling Market: this casual cafe will serve classic, artisanal comfort foods * Sterling Beer & Wine Bar: located inside Sterling Market, this venue will offer specialty brews and an extensive selection of wines from around the world, available by the glass or bottle *Sterling Dining Room: reservations required, with limited seating for walk-in guests, will present a small-plates menu ideally suited to game day dining *Sterling Bar & Lounge: offering guests a view of the large outdoor patio and ball field, the bar and lounge will serve specialty cocktails and small bites * Sterling In-Seat Service: waiter service will feature “Best of Ballpark” food from the outfield concourse “One of our major goals in the development of Citi Field was to create a destination attraction for our fans and our city. Our partnership with Danny and ARAMARK sets out to do that and redefine the paradigm of dining at any sports or entertainment venue in the country,” said Jeff Wilpon, COO, New York Mets. “Danny is a rock star restaurateur and Union Square’s restaurants are uniquely New York and globally renowned. We now have a culinary All-Star at Citi Field as a major pillar of the total entertainment experience throughout our new home.” “As lifetime baseball fans and longtime Mets season ticket holders, we are incredibly excited to partner with the Mets and ARAMARK at the new Citi Field, and to have the opportunity to offer fans a fresh array of winning food options,” said Danny Meyer, CEO, Union Square Hospitality Group. “What you eat and drink – and how it’s all served – has become a major part of the ballpark experience, and we are eager to contribute as much as we can to why people will love going to Citi Field.” “Working closely with the Mets, we have created a unique and extraordinary dining experience that will satisfy fans throughout every level of Citi Field,” said Liza Cartmell, Group President, ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment. “By partnering with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group, Citi Field will showcase the very best of New York’s culinary offerings and provide fans with a wide variety of delicious menu choices and dining formats. We take pride in working with our partners to develop innovative food and beverage solutions and are thrilled to help the Mets make this revolutionary concept a reality.” · Meyers Makes a Move on Citi Field [Cutlets] http://eater.com/archives/2008/07/eaterwire_midda_16.php#more
July 10, 200816 yr How...trendy...? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
July 10, 200816 yr I'm not a fan of the new Yankee stadium either. It's rather generic and lacks character like the new Mets stadium does. And why more than double the cost? What are there gold plated seats or something. You can bet a beer and hot dog will cost you $47.50 to help make up the cost. Also excuse my ignorance, but could the Yankee stadium have been oriented to provide views of downtown Manhattan or is it too far out? https://www.instagram.com/cle_and_beyond/https://www.instagram.com/jbkaufer/
July 10, 200816 yr hey the mets citifield is getting some mighty tasty chow with a shakeshack. and also a new concept....tacos! :laugh: ok so the food ball is now in your court yankee stadium! I think the Yankees already made their statement with the Hard Rock Cafe announcement. :roll: Up there with the Taquila Ranch on Public Square. I like just about all the food lined up for Citi...but I'm just not sure I like it there. I guess they know who they want to sell tickets to. Anyway, I bet I stick with crappy hot dogs and Italian sausages at ball games instead of $12 tacos.
July 11, 200816 yr I've never been to either park, but from being a baseball fan and fanatic, I can tell you some of the reasons why both New York teams are building new stadiums. First, it's trendy; almost every National League team has built a new stadium within the past 15 or so years, the majority of them coming since 2000. The Mets do not want to be left in the dust with a stadium that was built in the 1964. If you take a look at any picture of Shea stadium, it looks incomplete, which it was, to an extent. Plans also had the completion of the seating bowl, to resemble the cookie cutters from the 70's (i.e. Riverfront) and also the build a dome. Also, there are several flight paths directly over the stadium that lead to La Guardia International, making it very noisy. Now to Yankee Stadium, though it seems that it has a lot of history in the stadium, it is also old and out dated. The Yankee organization is an international business. I guess the organization thought it would be better to just build a new stadium rather than refurbishing it, which they have done all of it's life. Structurally, the stadium was failing. Pieces of the stadium continued to break apart and fall during games and at other times. They also need to compete for business and all the other benefits that come along with a new stadium. Granted, they are the Yankees and most likely do not need it as much as other teams. The new construction will add new seats, better site lines and probably the biggest revenue of all, more suites. Fun fact, at one time the Power Ally in left center field was at one time 500 feet!! Monument Park now sits there, but take a look at this picture and you can see how the seating bowl was built and how the old field sits. Also, monument park was also in the field of play at one time. http://www.virtualbirdseye.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/yankee-stadium-birds-eye-view.jpg
September 7, 200816 yr See Ya! Demolishing Yankee Stadium, Carefully September 5, 2008, 2:13 pm By Patrick McGeehan, The New York Times New York City is looking for demolition companies that think they can tear down Yankee Stadium without damaging any of the seats or other pieces that might be sold to collectors. The razing of the famous ballpark is scheduled to start in March and last as long as a year, according to a solicitation form issued by the city’s Economic Development Corporation. Read more at http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/05/see-ya-demolishing-yankee-stadium-carefully/
October 13, 200816 yr a fantastic farewell to shea thread from forgotten ny: http://forgotten-ny.com/STREET%20SCENES/shea/shea.html
October 14, 200816 yr From Curbed.com at http://curbed.com/archives/2008/10/14/destructoporn_shea_stadium_now_just_another_tadium.php#reader_comments Destructoporn: Shea Stadium Now Just Another 'Tadium' "WCBS newsradio decided to use their helicopter for something far more interesting than play-by-play of L.I.E. traffic jams: a photo gallery of the current sad state of what was once Shea Stadium. Looks like the ballpark is coming apart almost as quickly as the actual team! Ouch, sorry Mets fans. We know that's a low-blow, especially when these photos are depressing enough on their own." Photo Gallery at http://www.wcbs880.com/Shea-Stadium-Loses-Its-Name-and-More/3133951
October 16, 200816 yr Found this at mlb.com... Shea Stadium/Citi Field FAQ Answers to questions about the Mets' current, future homes http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080926&content_id=3553254&vkey=news_nym&fext=.jsp "4. What are the plans for tearing down Shea Stadium, and how will that be done?" "Fifteen days after the last game, the Mets will turn over the stadium keys to the demolition crew, which will immediately begin to tear down the 45-year-old building. Since New York laws now preclude implosion of buildings or the use of a wrecking ball (you've seen all those old pictures of that big ball knocking down the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field), the demolition will be accomplished piece-by-piece, beginning with knocking out all the concrete and then taking down the steel skeleton like a decomposing Erector Set."
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